Student Ministry Connection

What could happen if we encourage students to pray for their local schools, and they actually do it? Could we see fighting stop, grades go up, and God move among the students, teachers, and faculty? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve talks with Aubrie Kimbrough from Claim Your Campus , who shares stories of transformation and some free resources that will change your students an...

Did you know we were never meant to do ministry alone? And yet so many leaders do. On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve shares all about National Network of Youth Ministries and provides a simple way you can partner with others to make a greater united impact on the next generation.   Links referenced in this episode:  Find or start a network -  https://nnym.org   Consider joining...

What could happen if we were really intentional with outreach and evangelism, especially around one of the biggest world events, like the World Cup? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve talks with Heather Reddy about her own soccer experience and how that eventually led her to work with Cru and then leading their big World Cup outreach initiative called Victory Beyond the Cup.  Li...

What do you do when you’re just starting a new student ministry? What should you focus on? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve shares 10 tips on how to start well at a new ministry, whether you’re in your very first ministry or you’re about to start at your 10th church. And if you're not in a situation like this right now, these tips can also help you take an inventory of where y...

What do we need to know about student ministry staffing in 2026? What do we need to pay attention to? What can we do to improve it? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve talks with Todd Rhoades of Chemistry Staffing about his recent research and what we can learn from it.    Links referenced in this episode:  Learn more about Chemistry Staffing at https://chemistrystaffing.com   Re...

What role does mental health play in ministry, and how can we create safe spaces for open conversations grounded in faith? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve talks to student ministry veteran and author of Shepherds of the Mind, Tomy Cummins, about mental health. Tomy shares how a wave of students taking their lives pushed him toward training and building a ministry culture wher...

How do we win with our boss or supervisor? No matter where we are serving, we all have a someone who is tasked to supervise us and help us lead better and achieve our goals. And on this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve talks with Brent Squires on what mistakes to avoid, how to build trust, and how to lead up well.   Links referenced in this episode:  Follow Brent on Facebook - https:/...

How do you go about making changes in your programming? On this quick-hit episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve shares some tips he's learned over the years on how to lead change well, specifically in programming.   Links referenced in this episode:  Find your next speaker at The Speaker Hub - https://youthminhub.com/speakerhub   Get your free copy of Youth Ministry Toolbox at https://www....

What’s the average salary of a youth pastor, and how do you go about getting a raise? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve talks with Josh Boldman, CEO of Download Youth Ministry, about the 2026 Youth Pastor Compensation Report and more.    Links referenced in this episode:  Get your copy of the 2026 Youth Pastor Compensation Report - https://www.downloadyouthministry.com/p/2026-y...

What’s the one thing that can take your speaking and teaching to the next level? That’s what we’re talking about on this quick episode of Student Ministry Connection.    Links referenced in this episode:  Find your next speaker at The Speaker Hub - https://youthminhub.com/speakerhub   Learn more about Steve's ministry with NNYM at https://nnym.org/stevecullum   Sign up to get Steve's newsletter at...

We often throw around the word discipleship within student ministry, but what does it actually mean, and how can we not only make sure we are discipling students well but that we are experiencing it ourselves? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve talks all about discipleship with Matt Brinkley, founder of PACT Ministry and author of the books Disciple Me and Mentor Me.    Links re...

What happens when God takes a simple idea of wanting to talk to other leaders in student ministry and turns it into an entire ministry? On this episode, we’re celebrating 10 years of Student Ministry Connection with a trip down memory lane from Steve and some of you. We also announce some amazing giveaways from several youth ministry organizations, so be sure to listen to the entire episode, and e...

Student Ministry is tough sometimes, and there are a lot of reason why you’ve probably thought about leaving, but there are also many more reasons why you should stay. So how do we stay? What are the things we need to focus on in order to stick around for the long haul? Well, get ready, because on this episode of Student Ministry Connection, our guest, Jody Livingston, has not only pushed through,...

Where is student ministry going in the future? What are the trends we need to be paying attention to in our churches, and what should we be doing with the research we’re seeing? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, we’re kicking off 2026 focusing on the future of student ministry and how God might just be setting us up for something big.   Links referenced in this episode:  Listen to or...

The last 12 months of this podcast have been so great, especially all of our guests, so on this year-end episode of Student Ministry Connection, we’re highlighting each of our 12 guests from 2025: Derry Prenkert, Ashley Bohinc, Mike McGarry, Dan Lynch, Dr. Ken Castor, Mike Hicks, Krista McBroom, Travis Deans, Rick Eubanks, Ian Chrisler, Orlando Hale, and Jonny Radcliff.    Links referenced in this...

It seems like everywhere we turn, everyone’s got a hot take, even in the world of student ministry. And we're not talking about what's the best pizza topping (it's definitely not pineapple, by the way). On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve is joined by Jonny Radcliff to tackle 3 of the bigger hot takes focusing on the best night for youth group, the importance of camps and retreat...

It's time for a ministry update! On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve shares what God has been doing recently and provides some insight on the future of student ministry based on what we're seeing and on recent research. If you've been wondering about what Steve has been up to or what he thinks about outside of this podcast, this one's for you!    Links referenced in this episode:...

How do we engage with people who are different than us, come from different backgrounds than us, and have a different worldview or perspective than us? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve shares a very simple yet powerful idea that can take your leadership to the next level.    Links referenced in this episode:  Learn more about GLS NextGen at https://glsnextgenusa.org   Find you...

Every teenager has a story, and some of those stories are partially written behind bars. On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, Steve talks with Orlando Hale about how to step into difficult places to minister to teenagers who are incarcerated, how to get involved with your local juvenile detention center, and how to come alongside teens who desperately need the hope of Jesus.     Links r...

 How do we handle students who are disrupting and being disrespectful? On this quick episode of Student Ministry Connection. Steve shares a few tips and some things to keep in mind when working with the more difficult students in your ministry.    Links referenced in this episode:  Find your next speaker at The Speaker Hub - https://youthminhub.com/speakerhub   Learn more about Steve's ministry wi...

How can internships help train the next generation of student ministry leaders? Or if you are new to student ministry, why should you seek out an internship or residency? On this episode, Steve talks with one of his former students, Ian Chrisler, about his internship experience and why it is so important in the world of student ministry.     Links referenced in this episode:  Find your next speake...

What do we do when a tragedy happens in our world, country, or community, especially when it comes to our youth group? How should we respond? What do we do with our program? And how do we help students and families through it? On this episode of Student Ministry Connection, we’re diving into the deeper end of ministry and talking through how to respond when tragedy strikes.     More resources: Gro...

How can the simple act of students praying for their school ignite not only changes within their school but also a global movement of prayer for over 35 years? On this episode, Steve is joined by Rick Eubanks to talk about the history of See You at the Pole, hear some amazing stories about what God has done through student-led prayer, and discuss how your students can join what God is doing around...

What do we do about cell phones in youth group? Whether you believe they have their place or they should be put away the entire time, Steve shares some tips on both sides of the argument and reminds us to look beyond the phone issue when interacting with students.    Important links:  Take the Thriving Youth Leader survey at bit.ly/thriving-yp-survey-2025   Learn more about Steve's ministry with N...

How can we leverage all the amazing things that our students experience at summer camps and mission trips for the entire school year, helping students continue to grow in their faith and share it with their friends? Travis Deans returns to talk with Steve about moving from summer camp to the school campuses.    Links referenced in this episode:  Take the Thriving Youth Leader survey at bit.ly/thri...